Are mains surge protectors needed in the UK?

How about using a plug with the correct sized fuse in it?

Probably a lot cheaper?

Probably a waste of money.

You probably have a greater chance of deing struck by
lightnening.

Lem wrote:

Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in
the UK?

here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a
relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other
countries (including the US).

Wasn't there a big black out around London last year just after the
North American black out?

However there seem to be very many surge protector products
advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc).

A surge protector can be very simple, doesn't need to cost a lot.

I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but
in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a
surge coming in through the power supply.

My first PSU was killed by a spike, but then you don't know me. At a
place where I once worked, they had problems with fuse timings on the
entire building, the engineers would sometimes test which fuses went
first, thereby inducing enormous currents in the power network.

So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC.

Am I being too complacent?

Entirely up to you.

half_pint wrote:

How about using a plug with the correct sized fuse in it?

No, a fuse takes time to burn. In the meantime the spike will do its work.

Probably a lot cheaper?

Probably a waste of money.

If you're cheapskate, you can make one up from an old 50nF high voltage
capacitor. Anyway, they don't eat any bread and last a lifetime.

You probably have a greater chance of deing struck by
lightnening.

Depens where you stand :-)

Lem wrote:

Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in
the UK?

here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a
relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other
countries (including the US).

However there seem to be very many surge protector products
advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc).

I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but
in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a
surge coming in through the power supply.

So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC.

Am I being too complacent?

Probably. In my experience mains surges do not tend to cause problems, either your
trip switch or the general robustness of most devices rules them out.

However.....

modems are different. If the strike hits a telephone pole then the resulting surge
down the phone line can easily take out a modem, and if you're unlucky your mobo as
well. Usually though your modem will act as a very expensive fuse.

Buy a surge protection device that also protects modems and you should be okay. IMHO
Belkin are the best, but others may have a different view.

Look at it this way. A couple of years ago we had a massive storm in our area -
apparently there were 30,000 odd lightening strikes over the county. (according to
the electricity people). Over a two week period, I replaced several dozen modems for
people who "suddenly couldn't get online". My supplier ran out of stock! Even the
local PCWorld ran out (someone from there even phoned my business to see if we had
any modems left in stock that they could buy!!).

You can save £30 or so and take the risk - its up to you in the end.




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"John McGaw" wrote in message
.. .
"Lem" wrote in message
...
Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in
the UK?

here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a
relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other
countries (including the US).

However there seem to be very many surge protector products
advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc).

I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but
in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a
surge coming in through the power supply.

So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC.

Am I being too complacent?


Yes.

I have seen damage caused by a current surge and a friend of mine has had a
machine totalled by a surge following a nearby lightning strike that shot up
his phone line, in through the modem and spaltted his mobo to hell and gone.

I also read the results of a survey a couple or three years ago that claimed
78% of all data loss in the UK was caused by unprotected machines suffering
power surges. I have always used a protector and never had a problem. If a
computer is plugged into a domestic ring main, it is subject to all sorts of
fluctuations, from kettles, central heating, wall mounted dildos etc etc.

It isn't as common as newbies screwing the mobo directly to the case
baseplate (I have actually seen that too) but it is worth avoiding for a
tenner at the local computer fair for a 6 gang protector.

Strange lad.
--
I do not consider it an insult, but rather a
compliment to be called an agnostic.
I do not pretend to know where
many ignorant men are sure --
that is all that agnosticism means.
Clarence Darrow

"Stormsinger" wrote in message
news
Lem wrote:

Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in
the UK?

here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a
relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other
countries (including the US).

However there seem to be very many surge protector products
advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc).

I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but
in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a
surge coming in through the power supply.

So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC.

Am I being too complacent?

Probably. In my experience mains surges do not tend to cause problems,
either your
trip switch or the general robustness of most devices rules them out.

However.....

modems are different. If the strike hits a telephone pole then the
resulting surge
down the phone line can easily take out a modem, and if you're unlucky
your mobo as
well. Usually though your modem will act as a very expensive fuse.

Buy a surge protection device that also protects modems and you should be
okay. IMHO
Belkin are the best, but others may have a different view.

Look at it this way. A couple of years ago we had a massive storm in our
area -
apparently there were 30,000 odd lightening strikes over the county.
(according to
the electricity people). Over a two week period, I replaced several dozen
modems for
people who "suddenly couldn't get online". My supplier ran out of stock!
Even the
local PCWorld ran out (someone from there even phoned my business to see
if we had
any modems left in stock that they could buy!!).

You can save £30 or so and take the risk - its up to you in the end.




--
Email addy is a spam trap - Spam will go to a spammer
Please post in the group to reply.

I had a house electrical check a few weeks back from the local council, 2
guys, well one guy and his chimp, while doing it i said i do not want any
testing or surges as i run a large lan, although pre powerd down, they said
it was a good job i told them as at the end its normal to do something and
shove a surge? of some kind around the system.


They said, and i knew before hand even tho switched off at the wall but
still plugged in it could have blown the lot, how true this is i dont know

Never had a surge pretector in years, always thought about it but never got
round to it, ok the LAN i have is cheap old junk, but the data should i lose
it would be a proble

"Johannes H Andersen"
wrote in message
news:40ED9651.397F529D@sizefitterlikneasfuongtuint gsjadfasejk.com...


half_pint wrote:

How about using a plug with the correct sized fuse in it?

No, a fuse takes time to burn. In the meantime the spike will do its work.

I still think it would prevent damage to your computer.
A lightening conductor myght be a better bet.

whats the point in saving your computer if you house is burnt out and
gutted?

I guess you can log on and tell folks about it :O)



Probably a lot cheaper?

Probably a waste of money.

If you're cheapskate, you can make one up from an old 50nF high voltage
capacitor. Anyway, they don't eat any bread and last a lifetime.

You probably have a greater chance of deing struck by
lightnening.

Depens where you stand :-)

Lem wrote in :

[SNIP informative stuff I'm sure]

I just dont understand this bit..

plug-in protectors cost tens of times more money per protected
appliance.

"tens of times" more than what??


--
Lordy

"John McGaw" wrote in message
.. .
Do you live in an area where lightning is frequent? A lightning strike
that
is merely _near_ to an underground utility circuit can induce damaging
voltages into them meaning that your power mains, telephone, and cable TV
are all possible carriers. Admittedly there is no place in the UK that
I've
heard of that experiences the sort of storms that ravage parts of the USA,
Flordia comes immediately to mind, but if you ever do have even one event
then a small investment in protection would be invaluable.

My house (in England) was struck by lightening - great big sodding hole in
the roof, and of course it was raining (doh!). My computer and everything
attached to it was safe as I had a surge protector incly telephone sockets.
Unfortunatelky I didn't have surge protectors on my 2 widescreen TV that
each had a DVD player attached to and my stereo so they all got
fried..........literally there was black scorth marks!!

They say lightening doesn't strike twice, but I have everything on surge
protectors now - Worth every penny imho

Lem wrote:

[...]

See this posting to a second thread started with the same posting
as this one.

It says the following.

====== QUOTE =======


The problem with this quote is that people might think it's too
complicated and simply give up. But protection is a matter of degree.
Clearly if it is a lab with expensive scientific equipment, they would
have more full proof protection, but my assertion is that simple
protection is better than no protection. A 50nF high voltage capacitor
across the appliance can kill many spikes and possibly increase the
life of a PSU, in many cases such protection is already included. Then
you can go on with more elaborate surge protectors for more and more
rare incidents. All these incidents are possible with associated
probabilities. In any case, a decent surge protector is a once only
investment, so why making a fuss about it?